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Mining titles in Uruguay: prospecting, exploration and exploitation, transfers, servitudes and landowner rights

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Stable

All mineral deposits belong to the State and private miners work them under three titles granted by the mining authority: a prospecting permit, an exploration permit and an exploitation concession (Código de Minería art. 10, 11 and 18). Titles can be transferred, leased and mortgaged, but only with prior authorisation and registration in the Registro General de Minería, and metallic mineral exporters must first offer 15 percent of each export to the domestic market at FOB price (art. 13, 15 and 16). Landowners must allow declared mining servitudes but are compensated by semester payments in advance, can force the miner to buy land they can no longer use, and share in the production canon; construction materials (Class IV) are reserved to the landowner first (art. 5, 28 and 31 to 39).

USD figures use UYU 40.21 per US dollar, the BCU quotation for DLS. USA BILLETE on 27 October 2026; amounts in Unidades Indexadas (UI) use UYU 6.6792 per UI, the BCU quotation for 27 October 2026; amounts in Unidades Reajustables (UR) use UYU 1,940.77, the September 2026 value published by IMPO (Decreto Nº 229/026), the latest available on 27 October 2026. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Maximum area per prospecting permit	100000 hectaresCódigo de Minería art. 87, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum area per exploration permit	1000 hectaresCódigo de Minería art. 94, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum area per exploitation concession	500 hectaresCódigo de Minería art. 103, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum initial exploitation concession term	30 years, extendable by periods of up to 15Código de Minería art. 103, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Domestic market offer before exporting metallic minerals	15 % of each export at FOB priceCódigo de Minería art. 16 (Ley Nº 18.813 art. 1), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Foreign holders of mining rights	Allowed on equal terms Código de Minería art. 19, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Prospecting right fee	150 UI per 100 hectares, onceCódigo de Minería art. 45 I, as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Deposits are classified: Class I fossil fuels and energy minerals (State, through ANCAP); Class II deposits from the mining reserve or the vacancy register, granted by contract after selection by the Executive; Class III all metallic and non metallic minerals not in other classes; Class IV non metallic minerals used directly as construction materials. Prospecting and exploration of deposits and exploitation of mines may only be done by the State or under a mining title, and any natural or legal person, Uruguayan or foreign, private or public, may hold mining rights, except persons (and their partners, managers or directors) with final unpaid debts to the national mining and geology directorate (DINAMIGE).
Cost to do it: Holding a title costs the fees and canons in art. 45 (see the table); there is no nationality requirement.
Example: A foreign owned S.A. may apply for a gold exploration permit on the same terms as a Uruguayan company. / Same in USD.Código de Minería (Decreto Ley Nº 15.242), art. 19 paragraph 1 worded by Ley Nº 18.172 art. 194, Art. 7, 10, 11, 18, 19 and 60, 1982-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. A prospecting permit lasts between 3 and 36 months, extendable by up to 36 more months in periods of up to 12 months, releasing 25 percent of the original area on the second extension request and 25 percent of the remainder on the third. Each permit covers up to 100,000 hectares, with a 200,000 hectare total per holder unless the Executive authorises more. The holder has exclusive rights to search and sample and, during the permit and for 30 calendar days after it ends, only it may claim new deposits and obtain an exploration permit or concession; it must file annual progress reports including investments, and a final report, on pain of caducity. The fee is UI 150 per 100 hectares once for the main term and UI 300 per 100 hectares of remaining area for the extension.
Cost to do it: UI 150 per 100 hectares, paid once on notice of grant; UI 300 per 100 hectares on extension (art. 45 I).
Example: A 50,000 hectare prospecting permit costs UI 75,000 (about UYU 500,940, US$12,458) once. / About US$12,458 for 50,000 hectares.Código de Minería art. 87, 90 and 91 (art. 91 worded by Ley Nº 18.813 art. 15) and art. 45 I, Art. 45 I, 87, 88, 90 and 91, 2011-09-23 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. An exploration permit covers a single regular area of up to 1,000 hectares per permit and 2,000 hectares per holder (more with Executive authorisation), for 1 to 3 years, extendable three times by one year; 25 percent of the original area must be released at the second extension and 25 percent of the remainder at the third, and extensions require the approved work schedule to be underway. It is granted after hearing the surface owner. Exploration must start within six months, with quarterly activity reports and a final report including closure; formal exploitation is not allowed, though trial extraction may be authorised. The surface canon is UI 300 per hectare in year 1, UI 600 in year 2 and UI 900 from year 3.
Cost to do it: Surface canon UI 300, 600 and then 900 per hectare a year (art. 45 II).
Example: For 1,000 hectares: year 1 UI 300,000 (about UYU 2,003,760, US$49,832); year 2 UI 600,000 (about UYU 4,007,520, US$99,665); year 3 UI 900,000 (about UYU 6,011,280, US$149,497). / About US$49,832, US$99,665 and US$149,497 for years 1 to 3.Código de Minería art. 92 (worded by Ley Nº 18.813 art. 16), 94, 96, 97 and 45 II, Art. 45 II, 92 to 97, 2011-09-23 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. A Class III exploitation concession is granted after hearing the surface owner, with priority for the prospecting or exploration permit holder. It covers between the minimum needed for rational mining and 500 hectares, and one person may hold concessions up to 1,000 hectares for the same mineral (more with Executive authorisation, never to the point of being the sole producer). The term is set at grant, up to 30 years from the act of possession of the mine, extendable for successive periods of up to 15 years while the mine remains workable, against a new operations programme and proof that canons are paid. The minimum annual production programme may be revised no sooner than every three years.
Cost to do it: Production canon of 5 to 10 percent depending on class (art. 45 III); survey and boundary costs borne by the applicant (art. 106).
Example: A quarry operator granted a 400 hectare concession for 30 years may apply for 15 year extensions before expiry. / Same in USD.Código de Minería art. 98 (worded by Ley Nº 18.813 art. 20), 99, 100, 101 and 103, Art. 98 to 103, 2011-09-23 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Mining titles are transferable between living persons only with prior authorisation of the mining authority (the transferee must meet the conditions for the title) and an act signed before DINAMIGE; rights pass to the transferee from registration in the Registro General de Minería. A lease of the exploitation right needs a minimum term of three years, proof of the lessee's technical and economic capacity, prior DINAMIGE authorisation and registration, and the holder stays liable. An exploitation concession can be subject to all acts and liens on real property, which must be registered in the Registro General de Minería, and can be attached and auctioned.
Cost to do it: Registration and authorisation costs are administrative; the code sets no fee in these articles.
Example: A lender can take a mortgage over an exploitation concession, registered in the Registro General de Minería, as security for project finance. / Same in USD.Código de Minería, Art. 13, 15, 16 and 17, 1982-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-27

6. A concession holder able to export metallic minerals must first offer 15 percent of each export operation to the domestic market at FOB price, and must prove compliance before exporting; the regulation sets the term, conditions and information for the offer.
Cost to do it: No fee; the cost is the time of the domestic offer before shipping.
Example: Before exporting iron ore worth UYU 402,100,000 FOB, the miner must offer ore worth UYU 60,315,000 to domestic buyers at the FOB price. / On a US$10,000,000 FOB shipment, US$1,500,000 must first be offered locally.Código de Minería art. 16, paragraphs 2 to 4 added by Ley Nº 18.813 art. 1, Art. 16, 2011-09-23 official text · verified 2026-10-27

7. The surface owner is entitled to compensation for damage caused by mining even when all precautions were taken, to compensation for servitudes, to require the miner to buy all or part of the land if mining deprives it of its use (with price fixed under the expropriation procedure if no agreement, and caducity of the title if the miner refuses), and to its share of the production canon. All land is subject to study, temporary or permanent occupation and passage servitudes; the Executive declares them (DINAMIGE for study servitudes) after hearing the owner. Compensation for loss of use is based on comparable rents and paid by semesters in advance, indexed to the cost of living index; once the first semester advance is paid, DINAMIGE authorises immediate use, and a Juez de Paz may order a daily penalty of about 1 percent of the semester amount against an owner who obstructs it.
Cost to do it: Semester compensation set by the authority on account of final compensation (art. 38).
Example: If the advance is UYU 400,000 a semester, an obstructing owner faces a penalty of about UYU 4,000 a day. / About US$9,948 a semester and US$99 a day.Código de Minería art. 28, 31, 32 (worded by Ley Nº 18.813 art. 4), 35 to 39, Art. 28 and 31 to 39, 2011-09-23 official text · verified 2026-10-27

8. Class IV construction materials are reserved to the private surface owner. When a third party applies for a title over such a deposit, the authority notifies the owner, who has 90 calendar days to file its own application; if granted, the third party's application lapses. An owner who mines itself pays no prospecting fee or surface canon, only the State canon, while a third party pays all fees and the owner receives its canon share. Before granting any title the area is sent to military authorities to verify works are over 2,000 metres from fortified points; authorisation is deemed given after 30 calendar days.
Cost to do it: Owner operator: State canon only (art. 120 b).
Example: A sand pit operator applying on another person's land must wait out the owner's 90 day priority window. / Same in USD.Código de Minería, Art. 5, 64, 116 to 120, 1982-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-27

9. The Executive may exempt all or part of the State's share of the production canon for up to the first 10 years of exploitation for reasons of general interest. A miner who wants to abandon a mine must declare it in writing; after inspection the abandonment is registered and published, mortgage creditors must be notified first and may take over the rights; without formal abandonment the miner keeps all obligations and liability.
Cost to do it: Publication of abandonment in the Diario Oficial for three days and in two other newspapers once (art. 112).
Example: A new mine in a lagging region may ask for a State canon exemption for its first years of output. / Same in USD.Código de Minería, Art. 47, 112 and 113, 1982-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Title	Term	Area	Main charge
Prospecting permit	3 to 36 months, plus up to 36	Up to 100,000 ha; 200,000 per holder	UI 150 per 100 ha once; UI 300 per 100 ha on extension
Exploration permit	1 to 3 years, plus three 1 year extensions	Up to 1,000 ha; 2,000 per holder	UI 300, 600, then 900 per ha a year
Exploitation concession	Up to 30 years, extensions up to 15 each	Up to 500 ha; 1,000 per mineral per holder	Production canon 5 to 10 percent

Mining titles at a glance (Código de Minería)

Worked example

Exploration budget for 1,000 hectares over three years: surface canon of UI 300,000, 600,000 and 900,000, a total of UI 1,800,000 (about UYU 12,022,560, US$298,994) (Código de Minería art. 45 II).
Export of metallic ore: before shipping US$10,000,000 FOB (UYU 402,100,000), the concession holder offers US$1,500,000 (UYU 60,315,000) of ore to the domestic market at FOB price and proves the offer was made (art. 16).

Step by step

1. Check the target area in DINAMIGE's registers (no overlapping rights, not in a mining reserve; vacancy register areas can be requested directly).
2. Apply for a prospecting permit with work programme; the area is sent to the Ministry of Defence (30 day deemed approval) and the fee is paid on grant.
3. Apply for an exploration permit with plan, work schedule, servitude request and technician; the surface owner is heard; start within six months.
4. Request servitudes and pay the first semester advance to obtain immediate access (art. 38 and 39).
5. Apply for the exploitation concession with reserves, plan, investment plan, guarantee and environmental authorisation (art. 63 and 100); survey and take possession.
6. Register any transfer, lease or mortgage in the Registro General de Minería after prior authorisation (art. 13, 15 and 16).

Common traps

Inactivity in the first six months of an exploration permit without justification is a caducity ground (art. 21).
Holders with final unpaid debts to DINAMIGE, and partners, managers or directors of such companies, cannot hold mining rights (art. 19).
Exploration permit holders may not run a formal exploitation; selling extracted minerals needs specific authorisation and pays the production canon (art. 46 and 97).
A transfer of a title not authorised and registered is a caducity ground and is not effective (art. 13 and 21).
Abandoning a mine without the formal declaration keeps the holder liable for all charges and damages (art. 113).
Disputes over mining rights are subject only to Uruguayan law and courts (art. 19).

Sources

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